002-Joshua 1- Part 2

It will be difficult. You might ask: "Well, why? If God gave it to them, why doesn't God just, you know, open the doors, roll out the red carpet, and all the people just stand back or make—why doesn't he make all the people flee?" Let me give you the answer. No, let God give you the answer. I'll read it to you.

But notice again in this verse that God commands Joshua to be courageous and be brave, nor be trembling or dreadful, nor be broken in spirit. Why? because the Lord, Jehovah God, is with you wherever you go. There was no need to fear.

Joshua 1:11

Joshua took courage at the word of the Lord and commanded the leaders or the overseers of the people to prepare food for themselves for in three days they were going to possess the land that God had promised them.

It was time to move. Notice that Joshua didn't suggest that the people come, he didn't give them any options, he wasn't trying to gradually win the friendship of the people and lure them into obeying the commandment that he gave them, he just acted as a true leader of the Lord and led them.

We can learn a valuable lesson from these verses.

Leadership hasn't time to waste whenever a leader passes from the scene.

It takes leadership from the Lord to continue on and do the work.

Let me give you an example.

If a church has a plurality of leaders who know the mind and will of the Lord, and are acting in unison in that plan and will, then if one of the leaders should leave, die or be removed from leadership, the church should be able to elect a man or men to carry out the work no matter what. What am I trying to say? One leader does not start or stop God's work of ministry. If he does, then you were watching a gathering of people that were following a man and not God.All of God's leaders that are placed over His people should continue to carry out God's plan as a unified body. The personalities and the style of the man is irrelevant, only the content of the man's preaching is the issue. Only the man's ability to obey God's plan is the key.Whenever the plan of a church stops because the personality of its founder or strong leader stops, you are in deep, deep trouble. A church should be able to carry on the plan of God with the leader that God will chose, not the church. Joshua said, let's go. Let's possess the land!

CSB12 Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh: 13 “Remember what Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you when he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest, and he will give you this land.’ 14 Your wives, dependents, and livestock may remain in the land Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But your best soldiers must cross over in battle formation ahead of your brothers and help them 15 until the Lord gives your brothers rest, as he has given you, and they too possess the land the Lord your God is giving them. You may then return to the land of your inheritance and take possession of what Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on the east side of the Jordan.”

These tribe named would possess the land on the east of Jordan, only if they crossed over the Jordan and fought with the rest of the tribes. When the victory was accomplished, then they were allowed to go back and to possess the land that Moses had agreed they could possess. Look at Numbers 32:16-32 (read).

Joshua 1:16–17 CSB16 They answered Joshua, “Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go. 17 We will obey you, just as we obeyed Moses in everything. Certainly the Lord your God will be with you, as he was with Moses.

It was refreshing for Joshua to know that these tribes were with him as he commanded them to obey the promised they made to the Lord and to Moses. The people didn't whine about his leadership or that he wasn't like Moses. Instead they said, that as they obeyed Moses, they would obey him. This is what churches should be doing to new leadership whom God places in their midst. No more reminiscing about the good old days. Moses is dead, it's time to possess the land. Your former leader(s) are gone, it's time to choose and support God's leaders and move on in the will of God.

Joshua 1:18 CSB18 Anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words in all that you command him, will be put to death. Above all, be strong and courageous!”

How's that for commitment! These tribes agreed that if any individual was to show rebellion against what Joshua commanded them to do, they were to be executed! Notice what they tell Joshua to do.Be strong and of a good courage. The people encouraged him in that which Moses and the Lord commanded him to do.Fellowship, if it's biblical, will encourage its leaders to follow after God, to be strong and courageous to be obedient to God. Then, and only then, could they properly lead God's people.

:29 and 30, God says, "I will not drive them out before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beast of the field become too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land."

Exodus 23:29–30 CSB

29 I will not drive them out ahead of you in a single year; otherwise, the land would become desolate, and wild animals would multiply against you. 30 I will drive them out little by little ahead of you until you have become numerous and take possession of the land.

This is going keep them dependent upon God for every step, every battle, every piece of land. And at the same time if all the inhabitants were the leave, the beast of the field would take over, the land would be untilled, and it would be unproductive. It would be too big of a project, so God says, "It's yours, but it's a process." Now, that's how the Christian life is. As God gave the children of Israel the land little by little, step by step, not all at once, we grow that way. Maturity in the Christian life is not instantaneous; maturity in the Christian life is a process. You learn how to sit like a little baby. You're born again. That means you're a spiritual little infant.

This is going keep them dependent upon God for every step, every battle, every piece of land.

And at the same time if all the inhabitants were the leave, the beast of the field would take over, the land would be untilled, and it would be unproductive.

It would be too big of a project, so God says, "It's yours, but it's a process."

Now, that's how the Christian life is. As God gave the children of Israel the land little by little, step by step, not all at once, we grow that way. Maturity in the Christian life is not instantaneous; maturity in the Christian life is a process. You learn how to sit like a little baby. You're born again. That means you're a spiritual little infant.

And we sit, and then we crawl, then we stand, and fall a little bit, and eventually get our footing and we walk. It is a process.

So God has victories for us, but it is a process. Let me be more specific. You can stand and "claim the victory now," but it doesn't work that way.

You can say, "I just claim every victory there is right now in the Christian life." And you might say a lot of hallelujahs and work up a sweat, if you will, and cast out every demon that you can think of. Some people have the idea: "If I just claim a deliverance and claim victory and find out all of my problems and cast those demons out, I'll have instant maturity." It doesn't work that way.

The Christian life is not a Popeye episode. How many of you remember Popeye the cartoon? How many? You grew up with him? How many have had a Popeye sighting in the last six months? No, I'm just kidding. [laughter] Remember when he was in trouble? Brutus was going to beat him up. What did he eat? Spinach, one can, instant hero. And some people would love the Christian life to be that way, just foom! Eat a text of Scripture, go out, it's all over. No problem. No more problems again. Doesn't work that way; it is a process.

"Little by little I will give it to you." Look back at verse 3. " 'Every place the sole of your foot will tread I have given you, as I said to Moses.' "’

How many of you remember Popeye the cartoon? How many? You grew up with him? How many have had a Popeye sighting in the last six months? No, I'm just kidding. [laughter] Remember when he was in trouble? Brutus was going to beat him up. What did he eat? Spinach, one can, instant hero. And some people would love the Christian life to be that way, just foom! Eat a text of Scripture, go out, it's all over. No problem. No more problems again. Doesn't work that way; it is a process. "Little by little I will give it to you." Look back at verse 3. " 'Every place the sole of your foot will tread I have given you, as I said to Moses.' "Many of you have selective obedience. You only want to obey some portions of scripture just as long as you don't have to give up any of your pet sins and rebellious attitudes. Joshua was to obey God in all of that which was written. Only then would he experience the insight and the wisdom that was needed to succeed in the military campaigns to capture the land of Canaan and to experience all of the blessings of the land that came along with it.

Many of you have selective obedience. You only want to obey some portions of scripture just as long as you don't have to give up any of your pet sins and rebellious attitudes. Joshua was to obey God in all of that which was written. Only then would he experience the insight and the wisdom that was needed to succeed in the military campaigns to capture the land of Canaan and to experience all of the blessings of the land that came along with it.

Joshua 1:9 CSB

9 Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

But notice again in this verse that God commands Joshua to be courageous and be brave, nor be trembling or dreadful, nor be broken in spirit. Why? because the Lord, Jehovah God, is with you wherever you go. There was no need to fear.

Joshua 1:10 CSB

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people:

Joshua 1:10

Joshua 1:11

Joshua 1:11 CSB

11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get provisions ready for yourselves, for within three days you will be crossing the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you to inherit.’ ”

Joshua 1:11

Joshua took courage at the word of the Lord and commanded the leaders or the overseers of the people to prepare food for themselves for in three days they were going to possess the land that God had promised them.

It was time to move. Notice that Joshua didn't suggest that the people come, he didn't give them any options, he wasn't trying to gradually win the friendship of the people and lure them into obeying the commandment that he gave them, he just acted as a true leader of the Lord and led them.

We can learn a valuable lesson from these verses.

Leadership hasn't time to waste whenever a leader passes from the scene.

It takes leadership from the Lord to continue on and do the work.

Let me give you an example.

If a church has a plurality of leaders who know the mind and will of the Lord, and are acting in unison in that plan and will, then if one of the leaders should leave, die or be removed from leadership, the church should be able to elect a man or men to carry out the work no matter what. What am I trying to say? One leader does not start or stop God's work of ministry. If he does, then you were watching a gathering of people that were following a man and not God.All of God's leaders that are placed over His people should continue to carry out God's plan as a unified body. The personalities and the style of the man is irrelevant, only the content of the man's preaching is the issue. Only the man's ability to obey God's plan is the key.Whenever the plan of a church stops because the personality of its founder or strong leader stops, you are in deep, deep trouble. A church should be able to carry on the plan of God with the leader that God will chose, not the church. Joshua said, let's go. Let's possess the land!

Joshua 1:12–15 CSB

12 Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh: 13 “Remember what Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you when he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest, and he will give you this land.’ 14 Your wives, dependents, and livestock may remain in the land Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But your best soldiers must cross over in battle formation ahead of your brothers and help them 15 until the Lord gives your brothers rest, as he has given you, and they too possess the land the Lord your God is giving them. You may then return to the land of your inheritance and take possession of what Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on the east side of the Jordan.”

Joshua 1:12–15

These tribe named would possess the land on the east of Jordan, only if they crossed over the Jordan and fought with the rest of the tribes. When the victory was accomplished, then they were allowed to go back and to possess the land that Moses had agreed they could possess. Look at Numbers 32:16-32 (read).

CSB12 Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh: 13 “Remember what Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you when he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest, and he will give you this land.’ 14 Your wives, dependents, and livestock may remain in the land Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But your best soldiers must cross over in battle formation ahead of your brothers and help them 15 until the Lord gives your brothers rest, as he has given you, and they too possess the land the Lord your God is giving them. You may then return to the land of your inheritance and take possession of what Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on the east side of the Jordan.”

These tribe named would possess the land on the east of Jordan, only if they crossed over the Jordan and fought with the rest of the tribes. When the victory was accomplished, then they were allowed to go back and to possess the land that Moses had agreed they could possess. Look at Numbers 32:16-32 (read).

Joshua 1:16–17 CSB

16 They answered Joshua, “Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go. 17 We will obey you, just as we obeyed Moses in everything. Certainly the Lord your God will be with you, as he was with Moses.

CSB16 They answered Joshua, “Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go. 17 We will obey you, just as we obeyed Moses in everything. Certainly the Lord your God will be with you, as he was with Moses.

It was refreshing for Joshua to know that these tribes were with him as he commanded them to obey the promised they made to the Lord and to Moses. The people didn't whine about his leadership or that he wasn't like Moses. Instead they said, that as they obeyed Moses, they would obey him. This is what churches should be doing to new leadership whom God places in their midst. No more reminiscing about the good old days. Moses is dead, it's time to possess the land. Your former leader(s) are gone, it's time to choose and support God's leaders and move on in the will of God.

Joshua 1:18 CSB

18 Anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words in all that you command him, will be put to death. Above all, be strong and courageous!”

How's that for commitment! These tribes agreed that if any individual was to show rebellion against what Joshua commanded them to do, they were to be executed! Notice what they tell Joshua to do.Be strong and of a good courage. The people encouraged him in that which Moses and the Lord commanded him to do.Fellowship, if it's biblical, will encourage its leaders to follow after God, to be strong and courageous to be obedient to God. Then, and only then, could they properly lead God's people.